David Hume's View on Skepticism - Free Essay Example

Skepticism is one of the main concepts that were covered by David Hume. Hume's focus on the idea became more intense when he improved on the empiric concept generated by John Locke and George Berkeley. He attempted to improve Locke's ideas by applying scientific methods of observation to human beings. Through close observations of social behaviors, Hume believed that he would uncover the real causes of rational belief and that the primary objective of philosophy is to elaborate on how and why people believe in them. Hume's concept of skepticism conflated the ordinary claims of knowledge, and it was very indifferent to Descartes' way of reasoning, which is more leaned towards determining the foundations of knowledge (Blackburn 11).

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Hume believed that knowledge could not be inductively or deductively established from an external world. By induction, one assumes that the world is constant, and what happened before has an equal chance of reoccurring. He claimed that an occurrence could be compared to a trend since one is very sure that it will likely happen again. However, one cannot use induction since they are not playing a role in the situation. A deduction cannot be used either since the knowledge that one owns about a thing might be just a fraction of the information about the object (Sabl 11). Hence, the things that one considers as factual should not be allowed to be sources of knowledge since the information cannot be authenticated.

Hume believed that human belief has different mental elements. When one encounters an experience, they have vivid and realistic impressions, and the initial impressions shape the subsequent ideas. For instance, when one observes an orange, the fruit's color will automatically remind them of the fruit, but a recollection of one's school teacher's appearance is an idea. Hume argued that an impression creates a plan, and it noted that one must question their concepts by determining the origin of the reaction.

He also argued that every one of our ideas and our impressions could be separated from all the others, and when we manage to connect one of our ideas to another concept, this is simply the consequence of how we think. He elaborated on the differences in the two belief types in inquiry IV, the relations of ideas (the result of one's belief being connected to their minds), and matters of fact which entail observation of existing and their descriptions. Since most people confuse real knowledge with factual information, Hume explained the origin of the knowledge. Before one begins to learn, they must first accept that their past experiences will influence the present and the future. Most people also believe that their past and present will closely resemble the future, not a reality, according to Hume. He noted that there is always a change of nature, and this makes the past inference of the future uncertain. He clarified that everything that one considers as the absolute truth is all not rational. He expounded on this by using an example of the sun that people believe that rises daily based on the previous observations, other than one thinking that the rotation of the earth causes sunrise and sunset, and there is no rational basis for people to believe that it will rise again the next day. But people think that it will happen anyway (Penelhum 131). He asserted that it is explainable for one to have unjustifiable beliefs with the help of a habit since it contains a custom. From Hume's experience, one cannot think outside the content of their experiences or memories. Based on Hume's notion that the unjustifiable beliefs with the help of custom have an explanation, one can assert that their belief originates from their sentimental feelings as opposed to reason. One's imagination and belief vary when one interprets them, and a habit and science are pivotal in the creation of natural science.

Hume also expounded on the connection in which he noted that one's notion that events are related is a habit that they get from their personal experience. People create ideas based on past occurrences, making them believe that a similar incident will happen. The cause will undoubtedly produce an effect. One can fail to validate the belief, but there must be a reason why one thinks it is true. Hume observed that the best way to determine whether something is right was to watch the first sign from which the idea was created. Hume believed that one would be able to connect between the cause and effect by tracing back to where the concept originated (Lagerlund 151).

Hume also discussed self. He noted that from self, there is a belief of one's reality, and one is never completely aware of themselves. He meant that no one could create an impression based on self since human experiences are unique, and there are distinct ideas connected to each person. He believed too that human belief in the external world was irrational. He supported his claim by stating that a belief of the external world cannot be validated; a fact not can it be considered as a collection of ideas. Although it cannot be proven, belief in the outer world is natural. People often assume that their ideas can be backed up by proof, even when, in reality, there is no evidence to back them up (Stroud 11). This makes representationalism to disappear and things to be obsolete and unnecessary. The home also discussed mitigated skepticism, which means unbelief. It implies that knowledge is impossible, but this does not matter since what one should focus on is mental decision or judgment concerning questions or situations.

One of Hume's best argument about skepticism was against belief in a miracle. A miracle occurs when something defies all laws of nature, and as noted by Hume, there specific laws of nature that miracle does not comply with. His argument ton skepticism is not just limited to a miracle but also other things such as levitation, and channeling. According to Hume, there are two types of skepticism; antecedent skepticism and consequent skepticism. Each has two forms, moderate and extreme forms. Descartes questioned Hume's explanation of the extreme skepticism regarding prior opinions and their senses. Hume lacked any principle to back his ideas; hence a skeptic could not accept them. However, he stated that no first principle is self-evident. In analyzing the Enquiry, Hume applied consequent skepticism since it enables one to question their judgment and conclusion from which they lay. Under testimony of sense, Hume explained that there is a non-external world which is also independent of our thoughts. One's instincts lead them to think about a depiction of the external world. However, their perceptions change, and at times, they are deceived when they become crazy or when possessed by dreams they cannot achieve.

Works Cited

Blackburn, Simon. "Hume, Morality, and Skepticism." Oxford Handbooks Online, 2015.

Lagerlund, Henrik. "Hume’s Skepticism and Hume on Skepticism." Skepticism in Philosophy, 2020, pp. 144-159.

Penelhum, Terence. "Skepticism, Parity, and Religion: The Case of Hume." God and Skepticism, 1983, pp. 120-145.

Sabl, Andrew. "7. David Hume: Skepticism in Politics?" Skepticism and Political Thought in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, 2015.

Stroud, Barry. "Naturalism and Skepticism in the Philosophy of Hume." Oxford Handbooks Online, 2014.